


God's Kingdom

by Elymais



Category: Original Work
Genre: Crusades, Gen, History, Medieval, Middle Ages, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:14:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29562429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elymais/pseuds/Elymais
Summary: The Legends of the Early Kingdom of Jerusalem.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is strictly a work of speculative fiction. It is not meant to advocate for any religious or political viewpoint.

When the Saracen had been overcome,  
We seized great numbers of them,  
either killing or capturing them,  
as we saw fit.  
Our Princes also ordered the Saracen  
Dead to be cast outside, because of the  
great Stench, since the whole city was  
filled with their Corpses.  
Lo, the living Saracens dragged the  
Dead before the exits of the Gates  
and arranged them in Heaps  
as High as Houses.  
No one had ever Seen or Heard  
of such a Slaughter of  
People.  
Pyres like Pyramids were formed  
from them, and no one truly  
knows their number,  
except for God.

**‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡**  
**‡‡‡ GOD'S KINGDOM ‡‡‡**  
**‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡**

Lo, and the Flames of Battle  
still Roared through the narrow  
Streets as Dusk fell on the  
Holy Sepulchre.  
The Crusaders touched the Ancient  
Stones of the Church with their  
Fingertips as they entered the  
Courtyard.  
The approach of the Darkness  
Obscured the bloody Fingerprints  
which they left.

Godfrey of Bouillon, Mighty  
Commander of our Crusader  
Host, lifted his hand and we  
Halted.  
He, who sold his Lands and  
Crowns in order to raise our  
Swords in the name of the  
Lord,  
Who, having relinquished all  
his Worldy Wealth and taken  
up the Call of the Cross, now  
Stood,  
With his mortal eyes upon the  
very Tomb of our Lord and Saviour,  
Christ.

"Behold, Brother," said Eustace,  
the Count of Boulogne and the  
Elder Brother of Godfrey our  
Prince;  
"The Lord has granted you an  
Appanage," he declared before  
the Tomb of our Vindicator,  
Jesus.  
"For there is no Man here nor  
in the Halls of the Pope's Palace  
who will deny who the rightful  
King should be."  
"You have raised the captive  
Jerusalem from her sullen, shackled  
State."

Godfrey turned, Acknowledging  
the Words that Eustace had  
Spoken, for he Saw in their  
Eyes —  
Those who had Followed Him,  
Those who had Done as he Had,  
Who had taken up Sword and  
Service;  
"It is not to Me that you owe  
your Fealty, my Friends, but  
Firmly to the Name of  
God."  
"I am a Simple Servant, a Sinner,  
Who seeks solely to Serve the  
Sepulchre."

"Lo," said Tancred the Norman,  
of the House of Hauteville;  
"There is no Knight who would  
object;"  
"You have led us across the  
Lands of Europe and Asia,  
to the Foot of the Sepulchre  
of Christ."  
"Your Conduct is most Honoured,"  
continued He to speak.  
"Unlike that of your Younger  
Sibling."  
"How I wretch at the thought of  
Him! How deeply it pains Me  
To remember his Conduct at  
Tarsus."  
"Lo! Let us remember Those  
Three Hundred Normans, which  
he allowed to fall victim to  
Murder,"  
"Having turned them away at  
the Gates of the City which I  
had Delivered unto his hand in  
Righteousness!"  
"Surely, you are much more  
Deserving of this Land's  
Crown, moreso than that  
Wretch."  
"He has abandoned the Cross  
of Jesus Christ to make a name for  
Himself."

Eustace and Godfrey, the two  
Elder Brothers of the one of  
whom Tancred spoke, became  
Cross.  
Though Baldwin, the wayward  
Sibling, had indeed Transgressed  
against Tancred at Tarsus truly  
Terribly,  
His Deeds had Dashed any Doubt  
of his Devotion to the Divine  
Justice which they had sought to  
Deliver.  
For Baldwin, Christly of Character,  
was Begged by Bagrat the Armenian,  
who asked for his Intercession in his  
Homeland.  
"You shall speak no more ill of  
my Kin," said Eustace, the eldest,  
for his brother Godfrey was far too  
Humble.  
"Did not the Lord of Edessa,  
Theodoros the Kouropalates,  
adopt Baldwin as he were his own  
Son?"  
"Did not the Faithful of the  
Land of Armenia raise their  
Swords in his Support and  
Praise?"  
"I beg of you, Blessed Knight  
of the House of Hauteville,  
Be Still of your Injurious  
Instigation,"  
"For I will hear no more of it."  
To Eustace of Boulogne belonged these  
Words.

Robert the Norman, Son of England's  
Conqueror William, and the Ward  
of the Fiefdoms of the Viking,  
Rollo,  
Stepped forward with Robert the  
Fleming, Inheritor of the Land  
of Flanders which was once Ruled  
by Ironarm.  
"There is no Purpose in this Quarrel  
over these petty matters, my Friends,"  
offered the Norman these Words of  
Peace.  
"We have won a Great Victory  
in the name of our Almighty Lord,  
God."

Robert the Fleming agreed with his  
Norman comrade. Their sentiments  
were shared by Gaston, the Count of  
Béarn.  
Godfrey was relieved that once more  
the Peace had been restored among  
the Company of Crusaders in that  
Courtyard.  
The Darkness that encroached did  
very little to mitigate the Levantine  
Heat.

"Lo," said Godfrey. "Truly if  
there is no Other you wish to  
offer the Crown of Jerusalem,  
then,"  
"I will defend the Holy Sepulchre  
with all of my Might, so help me  
God."


	2. Chapter 2

Lo, and two nights had passed since  
the Fall of the Fatimid Forces at  
the very Gates of God's Stronghold,  
Jerusalem.  
Christian Knights who had Nobly  
and Fiercely Fought alongside one  
another, from many Lands, now  
Stood,  
Sanctioned to Save the Sepulchre  
by the Hand of God in Gooodness,  
Victorious.

From their Princes a Parliament was  
called to determine the fate of the  
Lands which had been at Long Last  
Liberated.  
To fail to mention the Famous  
Names that made up that very  
Council would Cruelly Cut their  
Praises,  
And rob them of the Righteous  
Renown that is Known to be  
Owned by them — a truly heinous  
Act.

There was Raymond of St. Gilles,  
the Count of Tripoli, who had  
Routed the Assault on Antioch  
Bravely,  
Who had been at the Discovery  
of the Holy Lance which had pierced  
the very Side of our God in Flesh,  
Christ;  
The Crusaders, having heard of the  
Finding of the Lost Lance of Longinus,  
were compelled by the Holy Spirit to  
Victory.  
To fail to acknowledge his presence  
Would be to fail to acknowledge a  
Hero.

There was also Galdemar Carpenel,  
A follower of Raymond of St Gilles,  
Who had siezed Cayphas for his own  
Governance.  
Surely he deserved such a Righteous  
Reward for his Courageous Campaign,  
But,

There was also Tancred, who had seized  
the Lands of Ancient Galilee from the  
Sniveling Saracen Scoundrel, Al-Mustali  
Billah.  
Of Tancred I should speak most  
Fondly, for his Skill on the Field  
of Fighting was Forged by his own  
Hand;  
Son of Emma and Odo the Good,  
Nephew of Bohemond of Antioch,  
Tancred was a fine fellow of excellent  
Nature.  
He was patient of Heart, which  
Only increased his Prowess in the  
Art of War, granting him much  
Insight.  
He was known for his Diligent  
Execution of Manoeuvres, and  
to Him a great deal of Honour is  
Owed.  
Surely Tancred has earned his place  
at the Right Hand of the Almighty  
God.

Blessed Gerard was there was well to  
Represent the Christian Hospice of  
Jerusalem. There was also Anthony of  
Arsour.  
Savary, a Learned Lay Preacher, would  
serve as the Pontiff's eyes on the  
Council.

"Surely," proclaimed Godfrey, Ordained  
Overseer of Our Lord's Own Lands,  
"We must Establish in these Lands our  
Laws."  
"The Fatimid Caliph, Al-Mustali Billah,  
Saracen Scourge of the Sacred City, still  
Prowls."

"It is without Question," proclaimed Tancred,  
in support of his Clever and Courageous  
Commander, "that the King must wield  
Authority."  
"All the Estates for which we have laid  
Foundations and Fortifications, for the  
defense of the land of Jerusalem, are  
Yours."  
"And, surely," continued the noble Norman  
Tancred, "not one man here will object to his  
Obligations."

Blessed Gerard and Savary would bow  
their heads in agreement to the Norman's  
Cause.

"Indeed," added Anthony of Arsour,  
a loyal servant of Godfrey while on  
Campaign.

"I must raise the issue of Cayphas," said  
Galdemar Carpenel, a mighty Crusader  
of Christian Virtue and Dignity. He  
Stood,  
Acknowledging Tancred, his rival, and  
said, "I secured the city of Cayphas from the  
Saracen, but Tancred claims that Cayphas is  
His."  
"If you should see fit to return Cayphas to  
this Norman Never-Do-Well, then so  
be it, but I requre satisfaction for this  
Loss."  
"If you should take this city from me,  
I would require a city of equal  
Prestige."

"Surely," said Godfrey their Ruler,  
speaking with wisdom and wit about  
him, "this is a justified demand to  
Make."  
"Surrender Cayphas to its rightful  
governor — you shall have St. Abraham  
Instead."

"This is most pleasing to me," said  
Galdemar, who would uphold his  
Promise.

"Surely then it is confirmed," said  
Raymond of St. Gilles, "that Godfrey  
is our King. Who then will agree with  
this?"  
"If anybody should object to my statement,  
Make your treachery known and make it  
Fast."

Lo, and not a single man disagreed  
except for Godfrey, who was too humble.  
"Friends, I am your Prince, but I am no  
King,"  
"For in this land where my Saviour wore  
a Crown of Thorns, I will not wear one of  
Gold."

"Truly a righteous sentiment," proclaimed  
Savary, the learned man. "Surely willed by  
God."

"It must be so," proclaimed Raymond of  
St. Gilles, who bowed his head in great  
Respect.

"This is God's Kingdom," proclaimed  
Godfrey, lifting his hands and raising his  
Eyes to the vaults of the very high  
Ceiling.  
Falling to his knees, he made the Sign  
of the Cross and proclaimed, "Not to  
Me, O Lord, but to your Name give  
Glory!"  
"The Fatimid still scourges your Province,  
but my Sword is still Sharp! Hèlas, to  
War!"

Lo, and the gathered-there men did cry  
out in support of their Liege and of their  
Lord.


	3. Chapter 3

Lo, and the call went out to All  
of Godfrey's Valiant Vassals, that  
they should Surround the City of  
Ascalon.  
Surely, shattering the Saracen's  
sordid sovereignty over the very  
Corners of Canaan would be  
Possible,  
If only his Fast Foothold on  
the Cusp of the Coast were to  
Slip.

Raymond of St. Gilles would  
ride out to Jaffa, where the Host  
he had so boldly commanded  
Awaited.  
"In five days," he did promise  
before he left to take command,  
"I will make camps to beleaguer  
Ascalon."  
"If I fail in this swiftness for  
any Fault Found of Me, then  
may the Lord's Justice be on  
me!"  
And with that he went, taking  
with him his retainers and loyal  
knights.

Antoine of Arsour and the  
Count of Hebron, Galdemar,  
Godefroy assigned to his own  
host.  
"You are my loyal servants,"  
he praised them most piously.  
"Truly God was smiling upon  
Me,"  
"When I gained such friends,  
so Valiant and so Virtuous of  
Heart."

Tancred, Noblest of Normans,  
rode to assemble the Garrison  
which Guarded the Gates of  
Caesarea.  
"These Soldiers which you have  
need of — as God is my witness,  
I shall deliver them unto you or  
Die."  
"I swore an oath to You and  
God," Tancred did declare,  
"Woe him who wishes that I  
Fail!"  
"I shall have brought them in  
ten days and not a day longer to  
Ascalon."

On the very day that Raymond  
arrived in Ascalon, a small  
Host of Hostile Saracens did  
Assail.  
Quickly and Quietly were the  
Cowardly Caliphites Condemned  
to Crumble before the Cunning  
Crusaders.  
Three hundred Saracen swords  
no longer had hands to hold their  
Hilts.

On the Twelfth Day of August  
Godfrey, their Noble Prince,  
arrived to their aid with many  
Knights.  
A great Column of Crusaders  
as Wide as the Waters of the  
Great Sea now supported the  
Vanguards.  
The Siege of Ascalon would  
begin in earnest with the next  
Morning.

Fornight came and fortnight  
Went as the Siege of the City  
of Ascalon dragged on and  
On,  
Until at last a Great Host of  
Saracens finally came up from  
the land of Egypt to break the  
Siege.  
At their Command was Yamin  
the Mamluk, a renowned fighter  
among the Ferocious Fatimids of  
Egypt.  
"God has drawn the divide here  
between You and I," declared  
Yamin the Mamluk, seeking  
Peace.  
"But, though he has given us  
different Names, and we to  
Him, do you not see our  
Brotherhood?"  
"Truly, my Heart is Awfully  
Aggrieved to have to raise the  
Sword."

Godfrey, hearing none of the  
Mamluk's pleas for he believed  
them False, declared the battle  
Begun.  
"I have not come here to make  
War," said Godfrey, "but War  
has been made for me and on  
Me."  
"I did not intend to take your  
Cities by Force — I simply  
gave my Will to God, who  
Decided."  
"This is God's Kingdom, and  
He has Commanded my very  
Steel."

The Mamluk Commander  
lowered his head. "If you will  
not reason with me, I must  
Fight."  
He raised his sword and Lo,  
A Great Flood of Mamluks  
and Saracens came charging  
Forth.  
From the Rising of the Sun  
to the Death of the Day, the  
Hordes Hounded the Weary  
Warriors.  
For every Saracen which met  
his Death, there were ten which  
Arose.

"Lose not your Heart, my  
mighty Christian Crusaders,"  
said Godfrey, raising sword on  
High.  
Lo, and though he was Struck  
in the very Eye by the Hand of  
a Saracen Warrior, Godfrey  
Stood.  
"Had God wished your blow  
to kill me," he said, addressing  
the Saracen, "I would have been  
Silenced,"  
"But He has seen fit to preserve  
me — Hèlas! My cause is surely  
Righteous!"

This assured the Crusaders  
of the Divine Favour that God  
had seen fit to bestow upon  
Them,  
Livening their Fervour and  
Lighting the Fire of their  
Ferocity.

"La samahha 'llah!" cried  
the Mamluk Commander,  
seeing the hampering of his  
Host.  
"Surely this Sore Aggrievance  
is not deserved of Us, O  
Almighty?"

Beaten and Battered, the  
Saracen Scoundrels made  
their Surrender known to  
Godfrey.  
Two months before the  
Mass of Christ, the Caliph,  
Al-Mustali Billah, sued for  
peace.  
"I have no more will to fight,"  
said Al-Mustali, head hung  
Low.

Godfrey accepted the Caliph's  
sign of surrender two months  
beforet the Mass of our Lord,  
Christ.  
A truce was struck to mark the  
boundary with Egypt which he'd  
Drawn.


End file.
